Christmas

Chronology of Coverage

Dec. 27, 2014

Many New Yorkers of diverse religious and ethnic backgrounds celebrate December 26, day after traditional Christmas, as important religious holiday; day marks first night of Kwanzaa, Boxing Day and Feast of St Stephen, among other auspicious occasions. MORE

Dec. 26, 2014

Pope Francis emphasizes plight of children in areas of conflict in traditional Christmas address; calls for global peace and expresses hope that world will heed plight of needy by ramping up humanitarian aid. MORE

Dec. 26, 2014

Pres Obama visits Marine Corp base in Hawaii during his Christmas vacation there, thanking troops for their service and speaking of Afghanistan war's end. MORE

Dec. 25, 2014

As some Chinese enjoy the trappings of Western-style Christmas, and retailers enjoy some of their highest sales in late December, others are calling for bans on any celebrations. MORE

Dec. 25, 2014

Baghdad Journal; small minority of Christians living in Iraq today struggle to celebrate Christmas there, with many nostalgically recalling large-scale celebrations from years past, before Islamic State militants began killing and driving them out; fewer than 400,000 remain out of estimated 1.5 million that lived in Iraq in 2003. MORE

Dec. 25, 2014

Sarah Maslin Nir Nocturnalist column; exclusive Gramercy Park opens to public for one hour in traditional Christmas Eve event. MORE

Dec. 25, 2014

Mark Bittman Op-Ed article reflects that 2014 is 100th anniversary of Christmas truce during World War I, when soldiers from both sides took break from fighting to be festive together; remarks that despite being an atheist, he urges everyone to celebrate important religious values of peace and justice promoted by this holiday. MORE

Dec. 25, 2014

Nicholas Kristof Op-Ed column observes that there are many reasons to celebrate Christmas, even in embattled country like Haiti; reflects that Haiti's slow but sure efforts in battling poverty should inspire everyone on this holiday. MORE

Dec. 25, 2014

PNC Wealth Management tally finds that to buy all 364 items repeated in verses of popular holiday classic The 12 Days of Christmas would cost $27,673, up 1.4 percent from 2013 and the smallest annual increase since 2002. MORE

Dec. 25, 2014

William C Rhoden Sports of The Times column explores pressure NBA rookies face to lavish friends, family and hangers-on with expensive Christmas gifts after earning their first big paychecks. MORE

Dec. 24, 2014

Jennifer Finney Boylan Op-Ed article asserts that the best Christmas present to receive is unexpected visits from family and friends; recalls some of the more memorable people who showed up at her home during the holiday. MORE

Dec. 24, 2014

Metropolitan Museum of Art will no longer allow 18th-century Neapolitan creche donated by painter Loretta Hines Howard to be handled by her descendants, who have made holiday tradition of arranging figures at base of museum's Christmas tree; moves comes as shock to Howard's daughter and granddaughter, despite transition period of more than year. MORE

Dec. 24, 2014

The Upshot; analysis of top-trending gift-related searches on Google during holiday season provides snapshot of America's Christmas wish list; results sometimes reinforce regional stereotypes about certain cities; widely popular items include the Cards Against Humanity game and merchandise related to Disney film Frozen. MORE

Dec. 24, 2014

Light, fun cocktail that is part traditional and part new is perfect beverage for Christmas Eve; recipe for American 25, variation on French 75 cocktail, given. MORE

Dec. 24, 2014

Dec. 24, 2014

Frank Bruni Op-Ed column praises Christmas address given by Pope Francis, in which he reminded Roman Catholic Church leaders of their true mission and ministry; compares Francis to his predecessors, and argues that Francis has in the first two years of his papacy made church more accessible and receptive. MORE

Dec. 23, 2014

Paris Journal; elaborate puppet displays that grace windows of department stores along Paris's Boulevard Haussmann during holiday season, tradition stretching back to Belle Epoque, have come to reflect changing cultural tastes; modern displays reflect advances in technology and themes of consumer and popular culture. MORE

Dec. 22, 2014

FedEx, along with its larger rival United Parcel Service, are taking steps to avoid chaos of 2013, which was plagued by combination of bad weather and late surge in shipments, resulting in gifts not delivered by Christmas; both carriers have hired more workers for season and invested more in infrastructure. MORE

Dec. 21, 2014

Reza Aslan Lives essay describes experience of saying grace over Christmas dinner while surrounded by family members espousing radically different religious beliefs; says family was able to find commonality through looking beyond symbolism and language that defines their beliefs. MORE

Dec. 21, 2014

Op-Ed article by Seth Stephens-Davidowitz describes analyzing Google search data and discovering that Christmas seems to alleviate rates of depression across the world, particularly in Christian countries; notes that data suggests that people are nicer around the holiday, and that people are less curious about drugs and sex during this time as well. MORE

Dec. 20, 2014

Consumer Product Safety Commission spends months before holiday season screening thousands of shipments of imported toys and products to check for hazards, but does not have enough money or staffing to catch all counterfeit or defective merchandise entering the states; warns shoppers to be extremely careful about things they may buy on street or in discount stores, and to stick to established retailers they trust. MORE

Dec. 20, 2014

Retail analysts say consumers this year may not find as wide a selection of merchandise as they found during holiday shopping season in years past; retailers ended up with surplus inventory in 2013, which led to them slashing prices in order to move it, but vowed not to repeat same mistake this year. MORE

Dec. 20, 2014

Rock, soul and gospel singer Darlene Love has vowed not to sing holiday song Christmas (Baby, Please Come Home) for talk show host other than David Letterman, effectively bringing yearly tradition to close as Letterman retires from Late Night show; Love has performed song on Letterman's show annually for 30 years. MORE

Dec. 18, 2014

Dec. 18, 2014

Variety of personal shopper services abound this season; one example is Penguin Random House and their write-in hotline for book suggestions. MORE

Dec. 16, 2014

Some hotels are closing for Christmas to give their employees time off as a reward; those closing are mostly independently owned and in areas where bookings decline during holiday. MORE

Dec. 14, 2014

Op-Ed article by Arthur C Brooks examines fact that more than half of Americans are bothered by commercialization of Christmas; describes seeking guidance from Hindu swami Gnanmunidas about contradiction of wanting to seek and rejoice in prosperity when endeavor is often marred by materialism that is repellent and alienating. MORE

Dec. 11, 2014

Dec. 11, 2014

John Derian shop in East Village is offering food-themed holiday ornaments from Inge-Glass. MORE

Dec. 11, 2014

Italian glass company Soffieria de Carlini has for fourth year produced hand-painted ornament modeled on Bergdorf Goodman vice president and fashion maven Linda Fargo in an outfit she has actually worn. MORE

Dec. 7, 2014

Christmas-themed movies aim to become timeless classics, but few of them actually do; several films discussed. MORE

Dec. 5, 2014

Drag performers Courtney Act, Jinkx Monsoon, Alaska 5000 and Jackie Beat, all of whom are performing in Yuletide-themed shows at the Laurie Beechman Theater, reflect on their love-hate relationship with holidays. MORE

Dec. 4, 2014

Set designer and prop stylist Kevin Hertzog shops around New York City for distinctive holiday wreaths. MORE

Dec. 3, 2014

South Korea approves construction of 30-foot tower shaped like Christmas tree near border with North Korea, move that is likely to antagonize the North; tower will be built by conservative Christian group. MORE

Dec. 2, 2014

National Basketball Association releases collection of holiday-themed sweaters for all 30 teams and 10 specific sweaters are available; NBA is marketing them as ugly sweaters and they are being sold on league’s website and at other online stores, arena shops and Lids locations. MORE

Nov. 30, 2014

Broadway designer Scott Pask shares his admiration for many of this year's holiday store window displays in Manhattan. MORE

Nov. 30, 2014

Joyce Wadler I Was Misinformed column gives advice to those looking to break up with their lover before Christmas. MORE

Nov. 2, 2014

Oct. 31, 2014

Nearly 500 radio stations around country are expected to switch to all-holiday music format by December, in one of medium's most enduring and profitable gimmicks; number of stations embracing format has nearly doubled in past decade, and competition between broadcasters is leading stations to make switch earlier and earlier in year. MORE

Oct. 23, 2014

South Korean marines dismantle 43-year-old Chirstmas tower on border with North Korea that North had threatened to attack with artillery; tower has had ongoing role in border war between Koreas; South, however, says its dismantling is not related to efforts to engage North in dialogue, and that rusty tower was becoming safety hazard. MORE

Oct. 16, 2014

Advertising column; Christmas advertising campaigns have started earlier in the year for past few years as retailers and marketers seek to cash in on holiday shopping dollars amid worries about uncertain economy; antipathy consumers once displayed to practice appears to have diminished into kind of grumbling acquiescence. MORE

Aug. 15, 2014

Mayor Eberhard van der Laan of Amsterdam says Netherlands' holiday character Black Pete will change in appearance over the next four years to make him less of an offensive racial stereotype; opinion polls show majority of Dutch see nothing wrong with the character's depiction, but Dutch and foreign critics say Black Pete is an offensive holdover from colonialism and slavery. MORE